Something Queer This Way Comes
by blueskyhawk
Summary: Falling in love is not always easy, but sometimes all you need is a little electricity to finally bring two souls together who had always been meant to be one. Faberry


Disclaimer: I don't own them, therefore I do not profit from them. etc, etc. The title was inspired by the novel Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury; however, my story was not inspired by the actual novel.

Spoilers: Basically anything is up for grabs, either present and beyond. I haven't decided on whether or not I'm going to address the ridiculousness of Finn's proposal (and Rachel's maddening yes).

Copyright/Archiving: Only with permission of the author (that would be me).

Main author's note: Any sentences in italics are the inner thoughts of the characters, but not to be confused with the individual words in italics meant for inflection.

Additional author's notes: For those who are so graciously following my other Faberry story Black Holes and Revelations, I promise to get cracking on an update. You are all so wonderfully awesome - I completely owe you. Also, my crack-filled other Faberry fic Psychically Speaking (sampled in chapter 14 of BH&R) will be debuting soon (I hope).

This story is inspired by a bizarre Faberry-centric dream I had a few nights ago and I thought I'd play around with it for a while. Please let me know if you think I should continue it.

Something Queer This Way Comes chapter 1

The day began as any other. What a terrible beginning, but there is really no other way to begin this tale. When _things_ defy reality and words do not come easily, it is better to start from truth. Or at least, from what truth can be found...

That Monday forenoon, students filed into McKinley High without any notion that anything peculiar, odd, or queer (and dare it be uttered, wicked) was circulating in the atmosphere. Yet there it was, an unseen electricity of sorts crackling through the hallways of Lima's only high school as the unknowing teenagers went about their morning rituals as they prepared for another 'usual' day. Had anyone looked to the still twilight northern sky, they would have seen something moving in swiftly. A dark cloud carrying with it _things_ one had never thought probable, at least not in a town of this size. By the time classes were ending and various extra-curricular activities were taking place, nothing still appeared unusual as the hallways gained in idle chatter as students rushed for buses, locker rooms, and in the case of a very unsuspecting glee club, the auditorium.

"Please, everyone - can you please take a seat!" William Schuester. Spanish teacher and the head of McKinley's glee club, New Directions. Talented to many, handsome to others, Will appeared unassuming to most. A once promising talent, possibly destined for the stages of Broadway - an ill-conceived marriage to his high school sweetheart and an obligation to provide for a family not quite realized, Will (or Mr. Schue as he was affectionately referred to by his students) found himself back in his high school guiding a group of teenagers to the greatness he once knew. "Thank you. We can now begin."

"Mr. Schue, if I may." Rachel Barbra Berry. McKinley High senior, co-captain of New Directions, and self-proclaimed future Broadway star and EGOT winner. At once she was a moony-eyed young girl content to follow after the popular quarterback Finn Hudson, but now with NYADA in her sight, her once passionate (so she thought) romance was now but a memory she will draw upon for future roles as America's future sweetheart of stage and screen. "I have the perfect idea for Nationals!" Several pairs of eyes rolled in near synchronicity, while others tilted their heads back and huffed in mild annoyance. "No really, I think you will all like this idea."

"The only way we're going to actually like this idea is if it doesn't mean you front and center for every single number." Mercedes Jones. Fellow senior and original member of New Directions. Undecided in what her future will hold, but journalism was looking promising. A fierce diva who, though now dedicated to New Directions, her 'treasonous' act of leaving the club to start another (with Rachel's estranged biological mother no less) caused New Directions to scramble in order to find new members as her departure lead to two others also leaving. Though fences had been mended, an underlying bitterness still lingered just below the surface in everyone's minds. "You've already got NYADA in the bag, is it really necessary for you to steal away our last performances?"

Though no one told Mercedes to back off, no one was coming to Rachel's defense either. It was true that Rachel had a tendency (well, perhaps more than just a tendency) to grandstand and take every opportunity to demonstrate her seemingly infinite talent. Just the same, she also had one of the biggest hearts any of them had come across and anyone who knew her also knew she was fiercely loyal to those she cared about and that included every single person currently sitting in the auditorium.

"I didn't say I was going to sing everything" she muttered under her breath while steeling her features in order to continue on with her idea. "Please hear me out before you shut me down. My idea would feature everyone, including providing an excellent opportunity for Mike and Brittany to show off their tremendous dancing abilities." She looked around at the somewhat bored looking faces, waiting for any of them to interrupt her again. "I propose that we do a selection, possibly a mash-up of a couple songs, from the iconic 80's film Footloose." Rachel clapped her hands together in her excitement, thinking they couldn't possibly turn down such an inspired choice. Like a tidal wave, a barrage of voices hit her all at once.

"What?"

"You're joking, right? Tell me you're joking."

"That's idiotic."

"It's so old."

"It's so cheesy."

"It's so 'white'."

"She _is_ joking, right?"

"Didn't the remake bomb?"

"I like to dance."

"I think it's a good idea."

All heads, including a very surprised pair of dark brown eyes, settled on the blonde sitting next to Puck. "What? She's right." She looked at all of the stunned faces who sat in silence, not knowing how to respond to this surprise defense of what they thought was a ridiculous idea. Huffing out a disgusted sigh, the blonde continued. "It _would_ showcase all of _us_, including what could be an awesome dance sequence, and if we use the styling of the music from the original movie it might appeal to judges who could very well be children of the 80's." Rachel nodded furiously in agreement, completely blown away that nearly her entire argument was spilling from Quinn's mouth. It was almost as if they had rehearsed it, they were so in-sync.

Quinn Fabray. Another fellow senior, ex-captain of the nationally ranked Cheerios, once the most popular (and one of the meanest) girl in school, teen mom who gave up her daughter to adoption (to Rachel's biological mother no less), and once the greatest tormentor of the girl she was now fighting to defend. Certainly an enigma to all. Everyone thought they knew her, but just when they thought she'd zig right, she'd zag left at the last moment. As per her relationship with the brunette still standing in front of everyone with a now hopeful look on her glowing face - well, that was complicated. Though at one time Quinn never dreamed of being friends with Rachel, their bully/bullied-frenemy-sort of friends status was now known to those around them as a very caring and supportive (though at times awkward) friendship.

It was true that the last time Quinn defended her newest friend it was mainly to win the attention and good graces of the boy who had passed between them for nearly their entire high school careers. However, now it was a different story. She really did think it was a good idea, and she figured they were just being jerks because they thought Rachel was trying to boss them around. What they didn't understand was that the brunette wanted to finish her senior year celebrating a win at Nationals as a united team which meant performing as one. "I think we should give her a chance to flesh out this idea."

"Thank you, Quinn" Rachel nearly whispered, her voice so timid and shy that it hardly sounded like her.

"I agree with, Quinn - I think we should hear Rachel out." Kurt Hummel. Another senior, original member of New Directions, also another NYADA bound future student, and best friend to Rachel. Out and proud, the once severely bullied stylish young gay man had become an inspiration to not only his friends, but his father as well as other students who admired how far he had come from the days of being tossed in garbage bins. Though Rachel was content with her decision of breaking up with Finn (we'll get to him later), unlike his fellow Broadway obsessed cohort, Kurt was still madly in love (and rightfully so) with Blaine Anderson. Though the logistics hadn't been sorted out just yet, he has chosen to follow the other two to New York, enrolling in NYU's drama department. "After all, she may be overbearing and selfish at times..."

"Hey!" Rachel huffed.

Kurt placed his hand up to stop her from beginning what was sure to be a typical Rachel Berry rant. "I believe she has all of our best interests at heart. Also, she is still our captain..."

"Co-captain" Finn huffed.

"Therefore I believe we owe her a chance to make her point" he finally finished while looking around at everyone.

No one said anything, just looked around at the auditorium as though the answer would make itself known, and in a way it did. As though on some bizarre cue, the lights flickered and dimmed over those who were sitting in the plush velvet seats, while the lights in front of the stage (specifically where Rachel was still standing) remained steady. Several pairs of eyes looked up to the ceiling noting the change in lighting immediately.

Also looking up to the ceiling, the young teacher took it as a sign that the theater gods had spoken. "I guess that settles it. Rachel, what did you have in mind?" Will turned to the brunette with complete sincerity in his voice. Truth be told, he _was_ one of those 80's kids who was actually jumping up and down (gotta cut loose) in his mind with the idea of paying homage to the film.

For the next fifteen minutes or so, Rachel explained how she envisioned their set list that would include a ballad duet (Almost Paradise), an impassioned choral mash-up of I'm Free (Heaven Helps the Man) and Holding Out for a Hero, and a fun transition into the film's song title with Let's Hear it for the Boy. While she nominated herself to sing one half of the ballad duet, she suggested that the mash-up be divided into the two genders - boys taking I'm Free while the girls would sing Holding Out for a Hero. While everyone would join in with a joyous (and dance filled) version of Footloose, it would begin with the girls singing Let's Hear it For the Boy while the boys left the stage only to reappear in the audience at the beginning of Footloose, dancing down the aisles and finally joining the girls on stage.

No one wanted to admit it (except for Kurt and Quinn who had been on board since the beginning), but they all thought Rachel's vision sounded pretty awesome. Though Blaine, Sam, Puck, and even Rory had better voices, everyone assumed that Finn would be taking the other half of the ballad as he had for the past three years. Rachel looked expectantly around at all the faces of her glee-horts trying to gauge how they were feeling about her idea now. Kurt beamed along with Blaine (honestly Kurt was hoping to be included in Let's Hear it for the Boy, but he wasn't going to be picky), while Quinn gazed at her with a soft and encouraging smile. Sure they'd been much better friends as of late, but Rachel still couldn't get used to the way the blonde had been looking at her lately.

A loud crash overhead startled everyone out of their musings. "What the fu..."

"Puck, language!" The brunette chastised as she clutched her chest, clearly just as shaken as everyone else.

"Sounds like the weather might be getting bad out there. I think we should finish this up and head out before it really gets nasty." Everyone nodded towards Mr. Schue. They all wanted to get out of there as soon as possible.

"I hate to say it, but I think short stack's idea is good - good enough to win us Nationals. I'm in, especially if I get to see my Britts dancing it up on a Broadway stage again." The tall blonde leaned over and kissed Santana on the cheek then turned back to look at Rachel and nodded in agreement. Everyone else quickly followed suit, agreeing to give her set list a chance.

"Ok, great! Now, let's all get home safely and we'll get to work tomorrow!" Sometimes Will was too enthusiastic for his own good. One day, one day it just might come back to haunt (or was it taunt?) him.

New Directions quickly broke up and headed to their respective lockers to grab their things and rush out into the fast approaching darkness. Thunder, or what they thought was thunder, crashed in the heavens sending shivers through the remaining students. Had anyone been looking closely enough, they would have seen that the dark cloud which had been blowing in from the north since that morning seemed to be settling over McKinley High while the remainder of the sky appeared to be unaffected. But they didn't notice, all they would note is that it was amazing that they were able to get home before all hell broke loose, and thought - wasn't it strange that the storm cleared up so fast?...

"Aren't you coming?" Rachel looked up from her stack of sheet music to find hazel eyes watching intently.

"Uhm, yes, sure - yes. I uh, just needed to get these papers together." The brunette felt a shudder go through her body leaving a tingling in her toes. The air suddenly felt electrified and she couldn't explain it, but it was as though she was rooted to the spot she was standing in. Almost as though she _shouldn't_ move, but she didn't know why.

Quinn turned her head slightly in an attempt to try and understand what was going on with the girl in front of her. She too felt the electricity in the auditorium, but unlike Rachel, she was compelled to move. Specifically, she felt overcome to move forward towards _something_. "Are you ok?" she whispered gently as her feet began to guide her nearer the stage where Rachel had been standing.

The brunette looked again to the blonde. "Yes. Yes - I, I think so...?" Quinn looked at her curiously as she stepped ever closer. "Do you feel..." she trailed off while Quinn leaned her head slightly forward trying to catch the quiet, almost fearful sounding voice. "Do you feel..._something_?" A perfectly sculpted eyebrow arched upwards to urge the other to explain.

Seeing that there wasn't going to be anything further, she answered just as quietly. "I do feel, _something_, but I'm not sure what it is." Rachel nodded as her eyes glazed over as she looked to the papers in her hands. Noting the confused look, Quinn attempted to ease the other girl's clearly shaken pose. "Probably just the weather." The brunette nodded again just barely enough to be registered, then looked to the ceiling as though she would be able to see the darkened sky above her. "We should get home. You know, before it gets worse. Outside." This time no response came, so she moved forward until she was within reaching distance from the other girl. "Come on Rach" she whispered as her hand slowly moved forward and landed softly on Rachel's wrist.

What was supposed to be a reassuring gesture meant to calm both of their increasing nerves turned out to create the spark that was sitting under the surface waiting to be lit. What felt like an electrical shock at the point of contact shot through the girls setting off a series of reactions throughout the auditorium. The once flickering lights overhead burst from their glass confines, shattering in a short blaze before encasing the girls in near darkness - the lights directly over them the only ones that remained on. Several cracks of what they assumed was thunder rolled above them.

Then, as though a metaphorical curtain was coming down over them, they heard all of the doors to the auditorium begin to creak then slam shut, trapping them inside. Terror and confusion blazed in their eyes as they looked to each other for answers, the electricity still charging through them. What they would've expected to be a painful electrocution felt instead like something much bigger then themselves was passing through their bodies and connecting them on a level neither understood. Not yet anyway. With one final boom overhead, the girls gazed into each other's eyes as the lights above were finally taken in a crackle and a hiss, dropping them into complete black.

"Oh shit."

**tbc?**


End file.
